


Fragmented

by AQueenOfPromise



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003)
Genre: Blood, Desperation, During Canon, Longing, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:27:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26572936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AQueenOfPromise/pseuds/AQueenOfPromise
Summary: Even being in separate worlds cannot break the bond between the brothers and they see how far each other would go to make sure they're not forgotten.
Relationships: Alphonse Elric/Edward Elric, elricest - Relationship
Kudos: 24





	Fragmented

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the idea where whatever you draw/write on your skin shows up on your soulmate. In this case the ability doesn’t activate until Ed and Al are separated.

Alphonse wakes up to a bruised face and bloody nose, a lightheadedness lingering a few minutes before fading completely. Some memory of the dreams flicker behind his eyes but there’s too little to recall. Still, an unsettled feeling pervades his thoughts the rest of the day.

The night before Edward got into a fist-fight and, as habits die hard, tried to perform Alchemy and instead got knocked out. The world he finds himself in doesn’t feel real - it can never be real unless his brother is there with him.

~

While helping Alfons with one of his models Ed rolls up his sleeves and notices what appear to be burn marks along his forearm. Slightly alarmed, he can’t remember how he got them though he chalks it up to helping Alfons one too many times with things centered around rocket fuel. He doesn’t mention the marks again but continues to wonder how he didn’t feel any pain.

Earlier, away from anyone, Al was practicing his Alchemy. He knew how strong he was; the talk about how he might even outskill his brother, how his advanced techniques were shockingly simple to perform, how his crossing into darker parts of Alchemy was starting to become (as some would say) distressing. But all that was muted to him. There was nothing he wouldn’t consider if it meant getting his brother back. However a failed attempt at something new made it painfully clear that to cross some lines required more than just the will to give it all.

~

The bruises keep appearing. Whether on the face, neck, or chest the blotches overtake his skin. There is no conclusion Alphonse comes to other than Ed. Wherever he is he’s hurting and somehow Al is able to see it. He looks back into the mirror; are the dark circles under his eyes his own or his brother’s? He imagines the fractured bones and the taste of blood. But he doesn’t want to see the pain, he wants to feel it. To share what they’ve always shared. To stitch his brother’s wounds, to calmly braid his hair, to lovingly place a kiss to his forehead, to just hear his heartbeat. Being cut off from the tangible is too much and with eyes shut tightly he lashes his hand out towards the glass.

It takes a moment but as the stinging pain makes him grind his teeth Al comes to a disturbing epiphany. As the blood snakes its way across his hand he slides it slowly over the broken glass. I see your pain, Brother, and I want to feel it too. Now you can see mine…and we are connected.

The days blur together and there is nothing Edward can do to forget their passing, to forget the ache of being only half of who he was. Nothing except for the small glass that balances in his palm. Tossing the few remaining drops back he lets them slide down his throat and barely winces at the strong taste. He’s used to it by now. As he lowers the glass down the light catches just right for him to see the red tint.

Eyes widen and Ed lets the glass drop as he watches the cuts dash across his left palm. It’s not him, it never was him. A mumbling of words slips out from his mouth, the blood dripping slowly from his fingertips. Al? It’s all he can think of and it’s the one thing his mind never rests over. He hears his brother’s voice in his head and, overcome with emotion, sinks from the chair to the floor. So we share our wounds to know that we’re both still here. How morbid. How-

Without any more thought Ed dips an automail finger into the blood, desperation fueling his sole idea. Touching the tip to his skin he scrawls out the letters.

Clutching his hand to his chest Alphonse lets the tears fall. Did he really accomplish anything or did his longing fully take him over? Whatever the reason he swears he felt something. With a soft and nearly defeated sigh he lets his tattered hand drop limply by his side. Through his watery eyes he sees the dried red lines scattered about like lines on a map. If only they could have taken him to where he wanted to go.

At first what looks like an illusion makes Al hold his breath. Dark black lines seem to stretch up his arm and he wipes his eyes to be sure but he can’t mistake the choppy writing. Letter by letter he stares stunned as they appear, like a tattoo being marked on him from the inside. As the line of the last letter trails off he feels a contradictory lightness and heaviness in his chest. His brother is alive and for a while knowing that would have been enough. It’s more that he wants, that he desires, but for now he accepts that fact and in the deep center of his heart he promises he’ll find a way.

_I’m sorry Al. I love you_


End file.
